Light-sensitive compositions comprising an o-naphthoquinonediazide compound and a novolak type phenol resin have been industrially employed in order to provide excellent light-sensitive compositions for producing lithographic printing plates or photoresists.
However, due to the properties of novolak type phenol resin used therein as a major component, they have poor adhesiveness to the base plate, form a fragile film, show poor coating properties and poor abrasion resistance and, when used for producing lithographic printing plates, give insufficient printing durability.
In order to remove the above-described defects, various high molecular compounds have been examined as binders. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 41050/77 discloses polyhydroxystyrene and hydroxystyrene copolymer, which still provide poor abrasion resistance though film properties are surely improved. Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 34711/76 proposes the use of a binder which is a high molecular compound having in its molecular structure a structural unit of acrylic acid derivative. However, the use of such a binder narrows suitable development conditions.